Cranberry-Rhubarb Jam

Necessity is the mother invention, they say, and it was an overabundance of rhubarb that was the mother of this jam, my favorite. Rhubarb is tart, yes, as is cranberry relish, but they are tart in different ways. The rhubarb's "low notes" of tartness and the relish's "high notes" create a symphony on the tongue, whether you spread the jam on buttered toast or mix it with yoghurt.

Making this jam takes some planning. It's made with my Aunt Frances' Cranberry Relish, which I make with fresh, local cranberries in the fall, and rhubarb, which I pick in late spring. But the relish keeps beautifully in freezer bags, so when you make that in November, be sure to put extra in the freezer for the next spring's jam. The effort is well worth it.

The recipe below requires a quart of cranberry relish, but you can easily double it, triple it, or more depending on how much relish you put up in the fall and how much goodness you want to share with friends.

1 quart of Aunt Frances' Cranberry Relish

2 quarts of clean, chopped rhubarb

5 cups of sugar

In a large pot, combine the rhubarb and sugar. Let stand for 15-20 min. till the sugar has moistened. Bring to a boil and boil uncovered, stirring often. Add the cranberry relish and return to a boil. Can jars of it in a water bath as you would any jam. I prefer to put it up in half-pint jars.

If the jam is too much like a sauce for you, add dried fruit towards the end of the boil. I've made this with dried cherries, blueberries, and mango. All are delicious!